by Ilana Waters
“Well, if it isn’t our old friends, Bev and Jim,” the leader said. “I wonder what brings you here.” He grinned and folded his arms across his chest. “And a new face, I see. What’s your name?” He looked me up and down.
“Do you always try to impale people, then make introductions?” I asked. “As for my name, it’s Joshua. Joshua Alderman. And who might you all be?”
The vampire in the center kept grinning. “This here is Carly and Miko.” He glanced to his left, then his right. “And I’m the one they call Reaper.”
“Of course they do,” I replied. “Honestly, I can’t tell if that’s truly badass or just clichéd.”
Beverly and Jimmy looked at each other nervously, then Beverly glared at me.
Don’t set him off, you idiot! she thought.
“Did you just call Reaper clichéd?” Miko’s deep voice sounded surprisingly like an animal’s growl.
“Why yes, I did. Surprised you know the word. Then again, I’d be surprised if you knew ‘cat,’ ‘dog,’ and ‘the.’ You don’t look like the overly bright type.”
“Well, looks can be deceiving.” Carly’s voice was as smooth as Miko’s was rough. “But then, you’re not quite human yourself, are you? Not with all that devilish stuff swirling around you before. Witch?” She raised one neat eyebrow.
“Mage, actually,” I said. And my magic isn’t the work of the devil, you she-demon.
“You’re a mage?” Miko rumbled. “What’s that, like a sorcerer? Where’s your wand, sorcerer?”
“I am not called a sorcerer, if you please,” I sighed. “And even if mages used wands, you’d never see mine.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I’d have already shoved it up your ass.”
Beverly punched me hard in the shoulder while she and Jimmy cursed at me in their heads. I winced, but couldn’t back down. I was pissed. These three had just tried to kill us with no warning. But I supposed antagonizing them wasn’t the smartest thing to do: Miko reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a gun, which he pointed at me.
Reaper just laughed. “Save your bullets, Miko.” Miko lowered his weapon, but did not put it back in his pocket. “He’s just a little nobody. Isn’t a mage the supernatural equivalent of a mule, or whatever half-breed it is that can’t reproduce?”
“Keep talking like that,” I said, letting my gaze momentarily rest on his belt buckle, “and you’ll be the one who can’t reproduce.”
Actually, various people had been calling me a half-breed my whole life. I was rather an oddity that way, since my mother wasn’t completely supernatural when she had me. She was a studied witch, you see, as opposed to a natural-born. My father was a natural witch, but then he was turned into a vampire, so now he’s both creatures. Since vampires can’t have children in the usual way, I only managed to be born through a bit of otherworldly influence. I won’t bore you with the details here.
Reaper and his friends hooted. “Not really a problem with our kind, mate,” he said.
“No, I imagine not,” I said wryly. “But let’s get down to business. I hear you have a certain item that we need. I believe it’s in the form of a small stone primate.”
“Oh, is it now?” said Carly. “Even if we knew where this ‘primate’ was, why would we tell you? And why wouldn’t you just read our minds and figure it out yourself?”
“Yeah, I hear some mages can do that,” Reaper said. Then he looked at his companions and snickered. “But no, not our minds, of course. So where does that leave you? What can you tell about me, for instance?”
“That you can’t afford a full set of clothing? I mean, that’s why your shirt’s missing, right? Also, since vampires have fangs and strength for weapons, I can only assume Miko keeps that gun to make up for a lack of masculinity, perceived or otherwise.”
This time, the vampires weren’t so quick to laugh, especially Miko. “It’s a good thing you can’t see the thoughts in my head,” he growled, aiming the gun at me again. “You don’t want to know how you’re going to look when I get through with you.”
Don’t just stand there! Jimmy thought. You’re supposed to be helping. Do something!
I smiled. Although there was no doubt Miko intended to use that thing, I was better prepared for this round, not being tied to a chair and all. “You know, that’s the second time I’ve had a firearm pointed at me tonight. But sorry, son.” My smile widened. “Looks like you brought a gun . . . to a magic fight.” And I pulled back my arm and threw a shot of energy that knocked him off the platform.
Reaper and Carly jumped down as well. They started tearing off pieces of cars and throwing them at us. We ducked behind the assembly line, glass windows shattering, sharp scraps of metal whizzing by us.
“Nice going!” snapped Beverly. “All you did was make them angrier.”
“In my defense,” I said, “that bolt was supposed to kill Miko.” But I could already see him getting up off the floor, chest heaving, eyes wild with fury. I pulled Beverly’s gun out of my waistband. I held it vertically in front of my face while beads of sweat formed on my forehead. Peering around a car bumper, I took a shot at Miko’s angry eyes. I might not be able to kill him with a gun, but blinding him would certainly make killing him easier.
Miko gave a cry of outrage and returned fire. I immediately pulled back. Beverly and Jimmy squeezed their eyes shut and cringed. I turned around and fired again, only to have Miko do the same until he started swearing when he realized he was out of bullets.
I don’t understand it, I thought, looking at the gun. Those were completely clear shots. I fired every round. He didn’t even move that fast. How could I have missed?
Ah, probably because there were never any bullets in that thing, Beverly thought, squirming. They’re blanks.
My jaw dropped. “Dammit!” I knew you didn’t have the stomach! For once I wished I’d been wrong. I threw the gun on the floor.
“What do you say we give up the Wild West show for now?” I called over my shoulder. “It’s really quite childish. We both know bullets aren’t going to kill each other.”
“There must be some way to kill mages,” Reaper called back. I knew he and the others weren’t quite in the center anymore; I’d seen them move behind a shelf of cars when I shot at Miko. “I’m guessing fire would do it, same as it would for us.”
Crap. He was right, of course. So would decapitation and certain types of spells, but I certainly wasn’t going to tell him that.
“So why don’t we start with fire?” Reaper’s voice echoed through the room. “Miko, would you like to demonstrate for our friends?”
“We don’t want any trouble,” Jimmy called, his face drawn, the muscles in his neck tense. With his back to a car and his head turned sideways, he tried to reason with Reaper. “We just want the statue. We know you know where it is. Why don’t you just tell us so we can all go home?” Reaper laughed again. This time, the echo had a screeching sound that made me shudder.
“Oh no,” he said. “This will be much more fun. Miko?”
Miko stepped out from behind the enormous shelf, grinning. He lit a match and dropped it into a steel barrel next to him. It must have contained something extremely flammable: it lit up in an instant. Slowly, he unwound the chain around his torso and, still grinning, began swinging it over his head. It moved so fast, it was a blur. One long, murderous piece of metal.
“Come out, little mage,” he taunted in his low, rumbling voice. “What are you, afraid?”
I was, a little, but I was also gathering magic so I’d at least have something to throw at him. But it was Beverly who stepped out first.
“Enough of this,” she said. “Tell us where that statue is or our mage here will—”
It was too late. Miko reacted instantly, and flung his chain toward Beverly. No doubt he’d expected to net me, pull me back, and consign me to the fire. Jimmy, who was closer to Beverly, jumped up and shoved her to one side, where she hit the ground with a grunt
. This meant Miko wrapped his chain around Jimmy instead, pinning his arms to his sides. Jimmy struggled uselessly while Miko heaved at the chain, one hand over the other. Slowly, he dragged the upright Jimmy across the floor.
“No!” Beverly shouted. She tried to run after him. I grabbed her arm and yanked her back behind the car, where she promptly hit me on the side of the head. Hard.
“Stop him!” she cried.
Trying to ignore the pain in my skull where she struck me, I got up and threw a bolt of magic at Miko. Once again, it failed to kill him. He must have been older and more powerful than I imagined. But it did make him hit the opposite wall and fall down, as well as break the section of chain he was holding. Jimmy dashed back to us behind the cars, twisting out of his fetters as fast as he could.
“Jimmy, are you all right?” gasped Beverly as we tried to unwind the chains.
“I think so,” Jimmy said when we finally managed to remove them. His face contorted as he rubbed his arms and chest.
“Get back here!” Miko roared. “You can’t hide forever!”
“Neither can you!” I countered, only to meet with more angry yells. I could see Reaper and Carly peering out from behind the car shelves with bemused expressions. At least they were intimidated enough not to venture forward. Yet.
“Now what?” Beverly demanded.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I said. “I’m not the one who—” Seeing Jimmy’s expression stopped me. His eyes were pained and weary, as if he just wanted this whole thing to be over. I could hardly blame him; I felt exactly the same way. It was time for a strategy.
Jimmy, I thought after a moment, can you throw that chain around Miko the way he did you? I didn’t dare say anything out loud, lest the other vampires overhear us, but I did glance down at what was left of the chain.
I think so. Jimmy was still grimacing. There should be just enough left.
Okay, then. I want you to get up and do it as fast as you can, before Miko knows what hit him.
And what are you going to do? Beverly asked.
Trust me, I said. Ready, Jimmy? He nodded.
“Now!” I shouted.
Faster than I thought possible, Jimmy leapt out from behind the car and snapped the chain at Miko. By this time, Miko had gotten to his feet and was running toward Jimmy, snarling, fangs bared. His eyes widened with surprise as Jimmy flung the chain around him, binding him tight. He growled and snapped as he tried to wrestle his way out, but there was a fierce determination in Jimmy’s eyes. He set his jaw as he worked to contain the vampire whose strength could let him burst free at any moment.
All the while, I’d been using a certain strength of my own. Just behind Jimmy, I focused on the burning barrel, willing oxygen in the room to feed the fire. You’ll find it’s something that comes naturally to us air mages, but it’s still rough work. I felt the muscles in my arms take on a burning of their own as the flames rose, creating a vertical inferno. Perspiration dripped into my eyes as I made the fire as hot and as high as I could.
Bind to it, air, I called to my element. Bind to the fire. You are lovers, the both of you . . . stronger when you are together.
Normally, it’s very difficult to control another person with telekinesis. However, when that “person” is a vampire temporarily bound with chains, things do get a bit easier. I raised my arms and lifted Miko while Jimmy struggled to contain him, like some furious, monstrous kite. Finally, I heaved him into the flaming barrel just as Jimmy lost his grip on the chain, pushing oxygen around the fire to send Miko back to hell.
Of course, he tried to get out of the barrel, but it was no use. All around him was fire, almost up to the ceiling. And I wouldn’t let him climb over the sides. My mind powers kept him in position as sweat poured down my face and my teeth ground against each other from the effort.
It’s quite impossible to describe how horrible a vampire’s screams are. Miko’s had an echo you could feel in your bones. Suffice it to say we all covered our ears, begging for it to end.
Eventually, it did. Jimmy and I moved back behind the cars. We’d managed to lean against a large van this time, so no more crouching. Still, we were panting hard. My heart was pounding with such force, it was painful. Also, the spell hadn’t helped my headache, and it felt like a jackhammer was trying to penetrate my temples. Through the van’s windows, we could see smoke rising from the barrel, and smell the acrid air and the stench of burned flesh. Beverly covered her mouth with one hand and waved the other in front of her face.
I caught a glimpse of Carly staring slack-jawed at the barrel. Reaper was staring as well, but with his lips pressed tightly together. My eyes met his. I couldn’t help but smile a little and say something in a low voice, which I knew he would hear:
“Your move, Sparky.”
Chapter 5
All was silent for a few moments as, I imagined, Reaper tried to think of a response.
Not that I care, but why didn’t they save Miko? Beverly asked Jimmy and me. I can’t believe they just let him burn like that.
Maybe it happened too fast. Jimmy looked at Beverly, then at me. Though that was pretty incredible. I have to admit, I never saw anything like it before.
Oh, it was nothing. And when I say “nothing,” dear reader, I’m lying through my aching teeth. But I’m not surprised they didn’t come to Miko’s aid. They knew the fire would kill them as well. Somehow, I suspect they’re not the types to go to pieces over someone else’s death.
Finally, we heard Reaper call out:
“All right, you got our attention, mage.” He sounded more irritated than anything else. “But this isn’t your fight. Walk away now, skinny boy. Don’t be a hero.”
“It just comes naturally to some of us,” I replied. Beverly shot me a dirty look, and Jimmy thrust his palms out as if to say, “What the hell?” But it wasn’t my fault their enemies were goading me.
“Why are you even here, Mr. Alderman?” Carly asked. “What’s your stake in all this?”
“What?” I said innocently. “Can’t a bloke just be nice?”
“Not in my experience, no,” said Carly.
“Ah, then you haven’t lived very long, have you?”
“No one risks their life unless they have something to gain,” said Reaper. “So we’ll ask you one more time: Why are you really here?”
“My, but you’re nosy.” I rubbed my temples in a fruitless effort to relieve my headache. “What are you, the PIA?”
“The what?” asked Carly.
“Oh, come now. Surely you’ve heard of the Paranormal Investigation Agency,” I said. “Careful—any more violent outbursts like the ones we’re having, and they’re likely to come running with their cameras and notebooks. Or laptops. Whatever they’re using these days.”
“You really think we’re afraid of a few snooping mortals?” Reaper said. “We’d tear them limb from limb if they so much as set foot in here.”
“Trust me,” I said drily. “I’ve had a few run-ins with them myself. They’re not exactly easy to dispatch.”
“Speaking of dispatching,” said Carly, “I’m not so sure we should let him go, Reaper.”
“You’re right,” I said. “I killed Miko. Well, Jimmy and I did. Surely you want revenge.”
Are you out of your mind? Jimmy said. Are you trying to get us tortured as well as killed?
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Carly scoffed. “He was just extra muscle. It’s not as if we cared about him.”
I gave Beverly and Jimmy a look. Told you so.
“But we can’t let you go because you might tell mortals about us,” Carly continued. “What if they find out what I am?”
“Oh, I think it’s already clear you’re a bitch,” I said pleasantly. Jimmy squeezed his eyes shut, but my words seemed to embolden Beverly.
“He’s right,” she said before Carly could think of a retort. “So why don’t you stop being a spiteful harpy for ten seconds and tell us where the statue is. This vindictive game
has gone on long enough.”
“Exactly.” Jimmy regained his composure. “No one else has to die here tonight.” Though Beverly and Jimmy didn’t catch it, I saw Carly give Reaper a knowing smile.
“Oh, we’ll see about that,” she said. With inhuman speed, she drew something from Reaper’s pocket and threw it at us.
It happened so fast, I didn’t even see her pull the pin, no doubt with a perfectly manicured nail. I didn’t even hear the clink of it hitting the ground. All I saw was the grenade falling at our feet, and everyone’s eyes growing wide with horror. At that point, I did what any sensible mage would do.
I grabbed it and threw it back.
No sooner did it leave my hand than we heard a deafening explosion. Pieces of glass and metal flew toward us. We all ducked and covered our heads as the debris rained down. The grenade had hit the shelf of cars where Carly and Reaper were standing.
It took several long moments before the wreckage stopped falling, and we all coughed from the smoke that filled the air. Scratches covered our hands, arms, and faces, though the vampires’ wounds would heal in no time. Mine would take longer.
And Carly was still alive. The blast knocked her to the side of the room, where the back of her dress caught on a robot arm. The dress was shredded. Carly’s face and limbs were covered in dark smudges, her finely coiffed hair now like a wild dog’s. She was thrashing around furiously to tear herself away from the robot. At any moment, she would succeed.
“Quick!” cried Jimmy. “Don’t let her get away!” I stretched out my hand, and the robot arm swung out, sending her sprawling to the floor a few feet from us. I was about to hit her with a bolt of magic when she jumped up and tried to grab Jimmy, who was closer. She looked truly unhinged. She emitted hideous, angry shrieks, her bared fangs and broken nails almost at Jimmy’s throat.
